• PMID: 18414003
• Gene Name: ASB4
• Condition: Plays a role in mammalian testis development and spermatogenesis
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Plays a role in mammalian testis development and spermatogenesis

Stage-specific expression of ankyrin and SOCS box protein-4 (Asb-4) during spermatogenesis

Kim SK, Rhim SY, Lee MR, Kim JS, Kim HJ, Lee DR, Kim KS.

Members of the large family of Asb proteins are ubiquitously expressed in mammalian tissues; however, the roles of individual Asb and their function in the developmental testes have not been reported. In this report, we isolated a murine Asb4 from mouse testis. Northern blot analysis revealed that mAsb-4 was expressed only in testes and produced in a stage-specific manner during spermatogenesis. It was expressed in murine testes beginning in the fourth week after birth and extending into adulthood. Pachytene spermatocytes had the highest level of expression. Interestingly, the human homologue of mAsb-4, ASB-4 (hASB-4) was also expressed in human testis. These results suggest that ASB-4 plays pivotal roles in mammalian testis development and spermatogenesis. FAU - Kim, Soo-Kyoung AU - Kim SK AD - Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Korea. FAU - Rhim, Si Youn AU - Rhim SY FAU - Lee, Man Ryul AU - Lee MR FAU - Kim, Jong Soo AU - Kim JS FAU - Kim, Hyung Jun AU - Kim HJ FAU - Lee, Dong Ryul AU - Lee DR